#Navarro Wolff

Colombian Greens and Progresistas merge to unite the left?

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Colombia`s Green Party signs a agreement to join forces with Gutavo Petro`s Progresistas. An alliance of the left? Christian Ortiz wonders how it might work.

Can you imagine the Progressives, the Green Party, and Compromiso Ciudadano together in one party? For many, it would be like mixing oil and water! However, recently the three political movements approved a general consensus to begin negotiations to form a coalition.

Despite obvious ideological differences among the three groups, it seems they are all set on joining forces to go up against an eventual Santos reelection bid. Conditions couldn’t be better; President Santos and ex president Uribe are more divided than ever; Santos’ popularity rating has plunged to an all time low; and a very unstable and questionable economic model has left the country virtually paralyzed. Such is the context in which Antonio Navarro Wolff has set out to build an alternative political option for Colombia.

Early negotiations between the three movements have faced skepticism from all sides of the political spectrum, questioning the viability of placing leaders such as Gustavo Petro (Progresistas), Sergio Fajardo (Compromiso Ciudadano), and Enrique Peñalosa (PartidoVerde) under one single banner.

Political coalitions have been extremely successful in South America, however, and it may be a headache worth enduring. Progressives, Green Party and Compromiso Ciudadano joining together could be the start of something much more solid. Picture a Frente Amplio criollo – if you will – dedicated to the Constitution of 1991, but willing to enhance democracy by empowering the people. But also picture a broad coalition that could stand to defend diversity in order to collectively develop a more humane future for Colombia.

We have seen in Uruguay, its Frente Amplio win the last two presidential elections, and as Jose Pepe Mujica is winding down his current term, the coalition is already working together to secure a third presidential mandate. Frente Amplio of Uruguay has been able to unite diverse sectors like the Christian Democrats, Social Democrats, Socialists, Communists, and even some Liberals. We have also seen center-left coalitions succeed recently in Ecuador and Venezuela.

Although Navarro Wolff seems to have set out to seduce the center parties first, he has revealed that ideally a next stepwill permit an accord with the parties and diverse social movements of the left. For the former M-19 Commandant, and ex Governor of Nariño, one thing is clear; “If we want to be a competitive option, we have to construct a diverse coalition, if not, Santos will easily defeat us, like a knife going through butter.”

Colombia´s third way? How the left can save itself

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Colombia´s favourite ex-guerrilla Antonio Navarro Wolff hopes to upset the applecart by taking on Colombia´s two political heavyweights, Ex-President Uribe and current President Juan Manuel Santos in next year´s elections.

Navarro Wolff is the name behind a new political movement – Pidimos la Palabra – that hopes to bring together the voices of the “centre” “centre-left” and “left” to present an alternative to the hyped polarization between the Uribe and Santos camps.

The former M19 leader has grown tired of the media´s obsession with the fight between the ex-president and his old defence minister, and believes, for the health of Colombian democracy, the voters need an non right, centre-right option on the ballot paper come 2014.

Señor Navarro Wolff has been quick to point out that he himself is not seeking election, either to congress or to the presidency (he is a failed presidential candidate), but instead has been working with sectors within the Green, and Progresistas parties. He wants to draw on those who supported Antanas Mockus – the surprise package in the 2010 Presidential Elections – as well as though on the left, drawn to the politics of Gustavo Petro. Navarro Wolff was Petro´s second in command early last year, before he left the Mayor of Bogotá´s ailing administration (if not under a cloud, then under less than happy circumstances).

The official opposition party in congress, the left-wing Polo Democratic Alternative have committed themselves to running their own presidential candidate, in the shape of Clara López. Many believe that Polo could end up with no parliamentary representation following the elections, and Wolff´s move to try to bring together the different strands of those on the left is seen as a way of preserving a non right, centre-right presence within the congress.

Word of the Pidimos la Palabra project was first heard in August last year, and following an initial meeting of leaders held in Medellín, all had gone relatively quiet. But in an interview with El Espectador newspaper on Sunday, Navarro Wolff hinted at an imminent announcement, suggesting the movement was ready to put forward names of key supporters and possible candidates.

Whether the ex M19 commander will be able to bring together enough of the left to make the movement viable remains to be seen.

Colombia Politics welcomes the prospect of a united centre / centre-left grouping.

The Polo appears to be on its last legs, and should it disappear in 2014 it is important voters have an option before them. Should Navarro Wolff´s “party” present a more centrist platform – more aligned to the Mockus project, rather than the Petro model –  that too would be a significant step in the right direction. Colombia needs a sensible, mature, social democratic left, not a romantic revolutionary left.

Will the softly spoken and popular former Nariño governer – himself an old firebrand – be able to drag the left kicking and screaming to the centre?